Chapter 15 #3
He took a slow, deep breath before printing the documents and grabbing them off his printer. A knock at the door made him glance up. Before he could respond, Nhuri stepped inside. Shyriq blinked, straightening slightly as she walked in.
“Hey. Sorry to interrupt,” she said, her voice smooth and calming.
It was just what Shyriq needed to hear to calm his nerves. She was just the face he needed to see. Nhuri’s outfit highlighted her curves in a way that made his jaws tense, and eyes focused. She looked good. Too damn good and distracting.
She was dressed in an olive-green fitted, long-sleeved dress, with her hair pinned back neatly, making her features stand out even more. She looked put together, but there was something about her expression that seemed like she had something on her mind and wasn’t sure how to get it off.
Shyriq cleared his throat. “You’re not interrupting. What’s going on?”
“Just wanted to let you know I made it back.”
A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. “That’s all? You could’ve texted me.”
“I could’ve, but I figured you’d want to see me in person before this meeting. You know . . . as your assistant and everything,” she teased.
“Oh, so you’re claiming the title now?”
Nhuri’s eyes narrowed slightly, but amusement danced in them. “I mean, that is my job, right?”
Shyriq leaned back, his gaze slow and deliberate as it moved over her face. “Good to know you remember that.”
Nhuri arched a brow. “Did you think I forgot?”
Shyriq exhaled, shaking his head as he gestured to the chair across from him. “I didn’t. Have a seat.”
Nhuri hesitated momentarily before sinking into the chair and gracefully crossed her legs.
Shyriq watched her adjust the iPad on her lap before she looked up at him.
Something about her presence made the weight of what he’d just finalized and his conversation with King feel a little less suffocating.
“How was your first week?” he asked, shifting the focus.
Nhuri tilted her head. “You mean before or after you abandoned me on my first day?”
Shyriq let out a short chuckle, shaking his head. “I see you’re still in your feelings about that.”
“I’m just messing with you,” Nhuri smiled. “It was good. I couldn’t have asked for a better trainer.”
Michelle was thorough, just like Shyriq said she was.
She made sure Nhuri knew all the steps if something complex needed to be explained.
If Nhuri had questions, Michelle had the answers.
In addition to giving her work advice, Michelle also gave her womanly advice.
Michelle had seen and experienced some things that Nhuri could relate to, and having her encourage her without judgment felt good.
Nhuri planned to get a bunch of gifts for her baby girl, who would grace the world soon.
“That’s good to know. You’re still here, so I guess I didn’t scare you off,” Shyriq said.
Nhuri smirked. “Not yet.”
Shyriq chuckled lowly. “Good. I’d hate to go through the process of finding someone else.”
Nhuri smirked. She’d hate that too because she actually liked her job.
Now, she was trying to figure out how to address him about sending her the gift basket and bag.
She sent him a text, but thanking him in person seemed the right thing to do as well.
A comfortable silence settled between them before Nhuri’s gaze flickered toward his desk.
Her eyes caught the heading of the papers, still resting near the edge.
“So, how’s that going?” she asked, her tone shifting slightly.
Shyriq met her gaze, noting the curiosity behind it.
He exhaled, glancing at his screen before returning his attention to her. “Everything was finalized today.”
Nhuri’s brows lifted slightly. “Oh.”
He nodded. “Yeah.”
A beat passed before Nhuri spoke again. “How do you feel?”
Shyriq huffed a quiet laugh, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “That’s the million-dollar question, huh?”
Nhuri tilted her head. “I guess so.”
He considered it for a moment before speaking. “Relieved. But also . . . not as much as I thought I would be.”
Nhuri nodded slowly, taking that in. “I get that.”
Shyriq’s gaze lingered on her. “Yeah?”
Nhuri exhaled, looking down briefly before meeting his eyes again. “Uh-huh. Endings are weird. Even when you know they need to happen.”
Shyriq studied her for a long moment; something about her words sitting deeper than he expected. She got it . . . maybe more than she was letting on.
“Sounds like you know a bit about letting go too.”
Nhuri rolled her eyes, but a small smile played on her lips. “You’d be surprised.”
Shyriq nodded. “Maybe I would.”
Nhuri cleared her throat. “Yeah, but that’s not why I stopped by. Before the day ends and before we go into this meeting, I wanted to thank you for the gift basket and bag. You didn’t have to do that.”
Shyriq shrugged, placing his hands on the desk. “It was nothing.”
Nhuri scoffed playfully. “A Meloré designer workbag is not nothing, Shyriq.”
He smirked and licked his lips, and his voice dropped slightly. “It is to me. Do you like it?”
“Yes. I love it. The bag doesn’t come out until the fall. How did you even get it?”
“A know a friend that knows a friend,” he replied as if it were nothing.
Nhuri should’ve known. Millionaires run in the same circles. Of course, he had direct contact with the owner, Dana. She had followed her journey for years before she made it big, and it was so inspiring.
“Well, let your friend know I appreciate it,” she said.
Shyriq held her gaze for a long moment before nodding. “I will. You deserve it.”
Nhuri swallowed, suddenly feeling like they weren’t talking about just the gifts anymore.
Shyriq leaned in just enough for his presence to feel heavier. “You know I want you, right?”
Nhuri’s breath caught slightly, and her pulse kicked up a notch as her lips parted. “Shyriq . . .”
“Nah, none of that,” he smirked. “I’m letting you know now. Just in case there’s any confusion on your end. You may work for me, but I want something more with you.”
Nhuri blinked, caught off guard by his directness. She didn’t have any words.
“I like you,” he continued, his tone even but firm. “And I want to see where this goes.”
Her heartbeat thudded loudly in her ears.
She had felt the attraction between them from the start, but hearing him lay it out so plainly made it impossible to ignore.
Nhuri exhaled, trying to steady herself. “Shyriq, we work together.”
He chuckled. “And?”
“And . . . This could get messy.”
He nodded as if he understood her hesitation. And he did to a certain extent, but he was willing to take the risk if she was.
“Maybe.” He shrugged. “Or maybe it turns out to be one of the best decisions you ever made.”
Nhuri’s lips parted, but before she could respond, he said, “Think about it.”
She stared at him, realizing he had just completely flipped the dynamic on her. She tried to remain professional and listen to her big sister’s words, but Shyriq made it difficult.
Checking the time on his watch, he stood up. “We got a meeting to get to.”
Nhuri blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. “Right. Is there anything I need to know before we go?”
Shyriq rounded the desk, stopping at her side. Nhuri looked up at him, hating how the gentleness in his eyes made her heart flutter.
“Not necessarily. Just go with the flow. Input if you want. Let’s roll.”
Nhuri stood and headed for the door. His hand at the small of her back let her know that he didn’t care that they were at work, but she did. Gently, she stepped to the side.
“You like me, but let’s keep our hands to ourselves while working,” she said.
Shyriq pulled his door closed. “Just at work? Got it.”
When he smirked, Nhuri shook her head and headed down the hall toward the conference room. Chuckling, Shyriq fell in stride beside her, feeling much better than he had before she entered his office. Now, he needed to finalize the details of this launch party, and he’d be an even happier man.